Karachi: Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Nabeel Gabol filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday seeking Rangers’ security from the government against alleged death threats issued to him by MQM.
Gabol, a former MNA, maintained in the petition that he no longer has police protection provided by the government.
He further said that the Sindh government has refused to entertain his request to reinstate the security despite his claims of having received death threats from individuals within MQM because of his statements against the party in talk shows.
Gabol warned that if anything were to happen to him, MQM and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah should be held responsible, the former for the crime and the latter for failing to provide adequate security cover to him.
Meanwhile, the member of MQM coordination committee, Qasim Ali Raza, reacted strongly to the claims levelled by Gabol and accused the former lawmaker of doing political showmanship just to attain security from Rangers.
The MQM leader said “Gabol should at least show some reverence” and asked him to stay within his limits.
“It is the right of Gabol to request for security, but levelling false claims against MQM leadership for this purpose is a disgraceful act,” said Raza in a statement issued by MQM coordination committee.
After being practically sidelined by the PPP leadership, Gabol had joined MQM in 2013 — months before the general election — to what he called “serve the people of Lyari”.
Later he won the NA-246 seat in Karachi on MQM’s ticket. He tendered his resignation from the party earlier this year hinting at the differences surfacing between him and the party as reasons.
Previously, Gabol has been elected MNA from Lyari (in 2008) on a PPP ticket. He became minister of state for ports and shipping, but later resigned from the post. He has been winning elections from Lyari for over two decades. He has also served as deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly.
